Folklore Hired Obele Brown-West as CEO

The independent creative agency appointed the former Colle McVoy president to lead its business operations.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in People

Bold flat-color editorial illustration depicting a solid structural plinth in navy and cream, representing corporate agency leadership. — Folklore has appointed former Colle McVoy president Obele Brown-West as its new CEO to lead business operations and brand strategy. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Independent creative agency Folklore has named Obele Brown-West as its new CEO and partner. She assumed the role in September 2026, while founder Lorenz Esguerra transitioned to become the firm's chairman.

Why it matters

Brown-West joined the firm to help clients navigate the shifting consumer landscape driven by AI and LLM adoption. Her appointment aims to unify the agency's creative output with a cohesive brand strategy across all consumer channels.

Folklore has been in business for 12 years. Brown-West's leadership appointment followed her contribution of 200 pages of feedback to a 300-page agency strategy document.

The players

Obele Brown-West

She is the new CEO and partner of Folklore and the former president of Colle McVoy.

Lorenz Esguerra

He is the former leader of Folklore who has transitioned into the role of chairman.

Folklore

This independent creative agency has been operating for 12 years.

Mike Matheny

He is the founder of Folklore who collaborated with the new CEO on agency strategy.

The details

Brown-West previously served as president of Colle McVoy and now oversees all business operations at the agency. She accepted the position specifically to focus on brand strategy integration after working closely with founder Mike Matheny to refine the firm's strategic vision.

Folklore began its agency operations 12 years ago.
Obele Brown-West began her role as CEO in September 2026.

Market Landscape

This leadership transition follows a pattern set by the industry-wide effort to align creative services with new technological realities. Folklore is positioning itself to compete more aggressively in an environment defined by the rapid integration of AI into consumer brand experiences.

Clients of the agency may see a shift toward more unified brand strategies across their consumer channels. The leadership change signals that the firm intends to offer new capabilities regarding the use of AI in marketing and consumer communications.

The takeaway

Brown-West's collaborative approach to refining the firm's strategic deck underscores the importance of deep operational integration during leadership transitions. Organizations looking to modernize their brand output often prioritize leaders with specific expertise in evolving consumer technologies.